Sometimes I look back at that obstacle course and wonder why the most ridiculous exercise felt more honest than any office routine.

I think it began when the Directing Staff (or the DS as was so often pointed to us that they wanted to be called!) pointed at a wooden plank laid over some water obstacle and ordered us across without a drop of water touching our boots. One bloke lost his balance, plunged face first into the cold water, and popped up blinking and swearing (saints and family tree members galore!), somehow more ready than ever.

In uniform each bit of absurdity came with its own rule book. The DS would warn us before the drop. We learned to file our complaints afterward. We felt part of a team, even when we hung above the effing obstacle.

Trading the Plank for a Keyboard

Now go trade our guard duties for a desk job. Emails replace orders. The plank transforms into back-to-back video calls. You never get a warning siren (or the room-clearance drill action-word STANDBY-STANDBY) before civilian nonsense lands in your inbox.

When did you last wish for a clear bell before chaos hit your day and left you scrambling??

Lessons in Shared Madness

Hauling a mate across that obstacle taught us grit. When we tumbled him off the plank and scrambled to catch him, we discovered teamwork under pressure. That lesson often comes in handy as we may face an avalanche of office or store forms no one had checked.

Boots, Planks, and Memos

I still grin thinking of our platoon’s obstacle on the assault course. Soaking one’s boots in freezing water feels almost logical compared to endless office loops that never make sense.

I guess the real trick is to embrace a bit of organised foolishness. Facing random nonsense with a squad you trust feels more doable. It turns chaos into a shared moment.

I still smile when a new absurdity shows up, remembering that assault course and how it made me ready for anything.

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